Tennis & Tennis Skills Special Olympics Iowa
Registration Entries Entry forms are available online at www.soiowa.org Website: Competitions tab > click on Participation Forms > Scroll to Summer Games Tennis Rating Sheet submitted with entry form. Entries can be emailed to: registrations@soiowa.org ~OR~ Mailed to Tanner Nissen at the State Office (551 SE Dovetail Road, PO Box 620, Grimes, Iowa) After your entries have been put into GMS you will be sent a Delegation Report. Review the report and return to the State Office with any corrections.
Tennis Rules/Resources The Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for Tennis shall govern all Special Olympics competitions. As an international sports program, Special Olympics has created these rules based upon International Tennis Federation (ITF). Special Olympics Inc. Tennis Rules http://resources.specialolympics.org/tennis.aspx This link will provide additional resources that are valuable to coaches teaching Tennis along with the downloadable Tennis Rating Sheet.
Competition Athletes will be in a division based on their rating (2.0-8.0) determined by completion of the Tennis Rating Sheet. SOIA will division according to ability. The Special Olympics Rating Guidelines will be used. Tennis Rating Sheet is included with the entry form: The size of the court on which the competition will be held and the type of ball which will be used will correspond to the level of play to which the athlete is assigned based on their rating.
Competition Levels: The following is a guide to levels designed to provide competition opportunities to athletes of all abilities. Level 1: Individual Skills Competition Athletes entered into Individual Tennis Skills competition may not enter Singles or Doubles events. Level 1 Individual Skills Competition Tennis Rating of 1.0-1.9 ITN 10.3-10.2 42 Court-Red foam ball
Competition Levels 2 Level 5 Competition Events are as follows: Singles Doubles Level 2 Match play: Tennis Rating of 2.0-2.9 ITN 10.1 42 Court-Red foam ball Mixed Doubles Unified Doubles Athletes may register for two events Singles and one Doubles event Level 3 Match play: Tennis Rating of 3.0-3.9 ITN 10 60 Court-Orange ball Notes: Level 3 is intended as a transitional level for training purposes. It can be used for competition if sufficient entrants at this level are expected. The SO Tennis Ratings are for singles, the range of rating should be doubled when athletes are playing doubles matches, i.e. Level 4 would become 6.0-9.9. Level 4 Level 5 Match play: Tennis Rating of 3.0-4.9 ITN 9 78 Match play: Tennis Rating of: 5.0-8.0 ITN 8,7,6 78 Court- Green ball (Yellow ball with green dot) Court- Yellow ball
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #1: Forehand Volley The athletes stands approximately one meter from the net with the feeder on the other side of the net, positioned halfway between the service line and the net. Each athlete is given five (5) attempts to hit a ball safely over the net. The feeder underhand tosses each ball to the athlete s forehand side. The athlete scores five (5) points for hitting into the service box into either service box. Forehand Volley Technique
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #2: Backhand Volley Same as forehand volley except feeder sends the balls to athlete s backhand side. Each athlete is given five (5) attempts. The athlete scores five (5) points for hitting into the service box into either service box. Backhand Volley Technique
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #3: Forehand Groundstroke The athlete stands one meter behind the center (T) of the service line. The feeder is on the other side of the net, positioned half way between the service line and the net, underhand tosses the ball so it bounces once before reaching the athlete's forehand side. Each athlete is given five (5) attempts. The athlete scores five (5) points for hitting into either service box. How To Hit A Forehand Groundstroke
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #4: Backhand Groundstroke Same as forehand groundstroke except the feeder sends the ball to the athlete s backhand side. Each athlete is given five (5) attempts. The athlete scores five (5) points for hitting into either service box. How To Hit A Backhand Groundstroke
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #5: Deuce Court Each athlete is give five (5) attempts to hit a legal serve from the right court to the deuce service box. A ball landing in the correct service box will count ten (10) points. A zero (0) score is recorded if the athlete commits a foot fault or fails to get the ball in the service box. A foot fault occurs when the athlete steps on or over the service line. The diagram to the left shows where the deuce courts exist.
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #6: Advantage Court Same as serve to deuce court but from the left court to the advantage service box. Each athlete is given five (5) attempts A ball landing in the correct service box will count ten (10) points A zero (0) score is recorded if the athlete commits a foot fault of fails to get the ball in the service box. A foot fault occurs when the athlete step on or over the service line. The diagram to the left will show you where the advantage court is along with the service line.
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Event #7: Alternating Groundstrokes with Movement The athlete begins one meter behind the center (T) of the service line. The feeder is on the other side of the net positioned halfway between the service line and the net, alternates underhand tosses to the athlete s forehand and backhand sides. Each toss should land at a point which is both halfway between the service line and the net and halfway between the center service line and singles sideline. The athlete must be allowed to return to the center mark before feeding the next ball. Each athlete is given ten (10) attempts. The athlete scores five (5) points for hitting into either service box. Groundstroke - Low to High
Individual Tennis Skills Competition - Final Score A player s final score is determined by adding together the scores achieved in each of the seven (7) events which comprise the Individual Skills competition.
Quiz Click the link to take the quiz: Tennis & Tennis Skills